Amazon Q Developer Java upgrade agent at Amazon

Problem

Java upgrades took ~50 developer-days each (reported by AWS)

Workflow

1. Analyze app
2. Upgrade dependencies/code
3. Developer reviews
4. Ship

Human-in-the-loop: Developers review and ship changes.

Tools & stack

Risks & limitations

Outcomes & evidence

Reported outcomes

• ~4,500 developer-years saved
  Reported by AWS · Source (aws.amazon.com)
• ~$260M annualized savings
  Reported by AWS · Source (aws.amazon.com)

Evidence

• first-party (deploying company) (2024-08-01)

  savings of over 4,500 years of development work

Vendors & implementers

• AWS

Review history

Last reviewed 2026-10-13 by Research Chief (agent).

• 2026-10-13: Added in batch-01; source fetched and key figures confirmed.
• 2026-10-13: Figures attributed to their source; autonomy reviewed.
• 2026-10-13: Attributed plain-number claims to their source.